By ERIC MOORE
AMNESTY International (AI) has called on Nigerian government to ensure that Shell’s planned divestment in the Niger Delta region, does not worsen human rights abuses in the area.
The AI, which noted the level of environmental degradation caused by the operations of the multinational oil giant in the region, said federal government must ensure that in divesting, Shell should not further deteriorate human rights in a region that have suffered decades of oil pollution.
Head of Business and Human Rights, AI, Mark Dummett, made the call, when he presented a report on “Tainted Sale? Why Shell’s Divestment from the Niger Delta Must not Harm Human Rights”, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.
Dummett told the government that it must ensure that the divestment does not limit Shell’s liabilities without a full investigation into and remediation of all existing pollution, the maintenance and repair of existing pipelines, and the protection of pipelines from sabotage.
He said: “Amnesty International has documented grievous and enduring human rights abuses resulting from oil contamination in the area, where Shell has operated since the 1950s.
“Amnesty International is concerned that the proposed sale will deny people already harmed access to adequate remedy, and potentially expose many more to future abuses.”
The report recommends a series of safeguards and action to help protect the rights of people potentially affected by Shell’s planned disposal of its onshore oil interest in the Niger Delta, reportedly for about US$3billion.
Speaking further, Dummett noted that, “For decades, spills have damaged the health and livelihoods of many of the Niger Delta’s inhabitants.”
According to him, “Shell should not be allowed to wash its hands off the problems and leave. Shell has earned billions of dollars from this business and it must make sure that its withdrawal does not have negative human rights and environmental consequences.”
The report also stated that, “The government should consider requiring Shell to act as guarantor to ensure any purchaser is capable of making good and remediating damage caused by any future spills and that any buyer is committed to transparency, environmental compliance, consultations with communities, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
“By exercising appropriate oversight to Shell’s sale, Nigeria’s incoming administration has a unique opportunity to demonstrate its determination to upload and protect the human rights of its citizens, including their rights to an adequate standard of living, clean water, and health. We are also calling for effective remedy for people whose rights have long been abused.”
Dummett observed that “Shell is not uniquely responsible for the devastating oil pollution that blight the Niger Delta,” saying other actors in the devastation include, federal and state authorities.
“They (federal and state governments) too have the obligation to ensure that Shell’s divestment does not lead to further human rights harm.”